11 Reasons Why Children under the Age of 12 Should Not Use Handheld Devices

There are numerous reasons why you should not allow your children younger than 12 to play on your cell phone or tablet.

Even though we are living in a world where technology is developed every single day and has greatly enhanced our living, what should always be a priority is the health of our kids.. and these devices may endanger it.

Research has shown that the use of these technology devices may seriously harm the health of our children and cause developmental consequences.

The use of such devices like cell phones and tablets has significantly prevented the learning and development if our children, ant it affects their behavior.

We give you 11 reasons to keep these handheld devices away from your children:

1.Delayed development: These devices actually restrict the movement of children, and this can cause delayed development, as movement improves the learning abilities and attention.

Due to this, even 1 in 3 children enters school with being developmentally delayed, negatively impacting literacy and academic achievement. The use of technology under the age of 12 significantly impedes the learning and development of the child.

2. Sleep deprivation: The sleep deprivation in children leads to severe health issues and low grades at school. Unfortunately, 60 percent of parents don’t pay attention to their children’s technology usage, and 75 percent of children are allowed to use technology in their bedrooms.

3. Rapid brain growth: During the period of 0-2 years, the brain triples in size and is rapidly developing until the age of 21. The early development of the brain is determined by environmental stimuli or their deprivation, while the overexposure to technology is linked to reduced ability to self-regulate, cognitive delays, impaired learning, attention deficit, and increased impulsivity.

4. Epidemic obesity: The risk of obesity in children who use their devices in the room is 30 percent higher. 30 percent of obese children will become diabetics and will have an increased risk of early stroke and heart attack, which shortens life expectancy. Unfortunately, it is expected that the 21st-century children might be the first generation to not outlive their parents.

5. Radiation emission: Cell phones have been classified in the category 2B risk (possible carcinogen) in May 2011, by the WHO, due to the radiation emission. Two years later, Dr. Anthony Miller from the University of Toronto’s School of Public Health, warned that research has shown the dangers of the radio frequency exposure, and he suggested its reclassification as 2A (probably a carcinogen), not 2B.

6. Eye strain: The long starring at the screen of these devices causes eye strain or computer vision syndrome. Therefore, make sure your child does not spend more than half an hour at a time in front of the screen.

7. Unsustainable: Unfortunately, the future world will be a desolate place for the children who overuse technology. The way they are raised and educated is not sustainable anymore.

9. Digital dementia: The high-speed media content leads to poor memory, reduced concentration, attention deficit, as the brain pruning neuronal tracks to the frontal cortex. To clarify this, children who are not attentive cannot learn.

10. Addictions: The use of these devices detaches the parent from the child, and the detached child detaches to the device instead. This leads to addictions. Statistics says that 1 in 11 children aged 8-18 are addicted to technology.

11. Aggression: the aggression in children is a result of violent media in most cases. Many TV shows portray rape, murder, torture, fights, sex, and mutilation. Due to all this, the United States placed media violence in the category as a Public Health Risk due to casual effects on child aggression.